A Glenrothes community centre is celebrating a bumper lottery award.
Collydean Community Centre has been awarded nearly £123,000 over three years by the National Lottery community fund.
The centre’s coordinator Rose Duncan said: “This award, over a period of three years, will help greatly with the planned alterations and improvements to the centre, along with support for staffing.”
The north Glenrothes centre, built in the early 1800s and originally the stables and barns of Collydean Farm, engages with both the Collydean community and those living further away.
It offers a range of activities from early morning to late evening for all groups,, from babies to people in their nineties.
In the last 15 months there has been a 25% increase in activities.
It has a community café on a Thursday and Friday and currently plays host to a wide variety of groups, from free Bookbug classes for babies to a seniors group that meets on a Thursday afternoon.
The 21st Glenrothes Guides and 89th North Glenrothes Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers all call the centre home, along with job clubs and digital skills classes, yoga, dance classes, mother and toddlers, messy play, tai chi, Zumba, two youth clubs, internet café, an afterschool club, acting group, dog training classes and girls self-defence classes.
Rose said the centre, which received a Christmas gift from Asda last year, was always busy with a great buzz and the planned refurbishments will make a big difference to the accessibility and user friendliness of the space.
Collydean Community Centre was recently certified as Dementia Friendly and the planned refurbishments mean it will be more accessible to people from all walks of life.
That is the priority of the first phase of the ambitious renovation programme, added Rose.
“Collydean is in one of the worst areas of deprivation in Scotland and we want to reach out to people, be that people with disabilities or mental health issues so they can engage with activities.
“We have big plans, and the residents are so very supportive, we work together as you cannot work in isolation, you have to join forces.”
National Lottery community fund Scotland chairwoman Maureen McGinn said: “I am delighted that Collydean Community Centre has been successful in securing a grant from the fund.
“The award will make a big difference where it is needed most, and I wish Collydean Community Centre every success as it goes on to develop and expand its project for the benefit of their local community.”
